1. Mudslide
What could be better than a cocktail that reminds you of a chocolate sundae? A Mudslide is just that, a milkshake or scoop of ice cream drizzled with chocolate bathing in a mix of vodka, coffee liqueur, and Baileys Irish Cream. The delectable cocktail was invented at the Rum Point Club Wreck Bar located on the Grand Cayman Island in the 1950s, but it's quite popular worldwide now.
2. Bellini
A refreshing Venetian specialty, the Bellini is a cocktail that uses prosecco, a white sparkling wine from the Veneto region in Italy, and peach puree served in a champagne glass. The invention of the drink dates back to the 1930s or 1940s, and it is attributed to Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. To this day, it's one of the most popular drinks in the historic city, but it's also well known across the globe.
3. Sangria
Another refreshing summer cocktail based on wine is the famous sangria, and it is known as a Spanish cocktail, although this popular drink is said to have originated back in the days of Ancient Greece and Rome. Traditional sangria is prepared with red wine, brandy, a variety of fruit, such as citrus fruit and apples, as well as spices, such as cinnamon and cloves. There is also a variety of sangria made of white wine, but it's less common and traditional.
4. Black Russian
The name of this deceptive cocktail is quite misleading, as it really has little to do with Russia, and neither does the White Russian or the Moscow Mule. The Black Russian was invented in Brussels in the 1940s by bartender Gustave Tops, and it consists of vodka and coffee liqueur. An improved version of the drink is the White Russian, which includes an added splash of cream. The Moscow Mule, in turn, comes from Los Angeles, California.
5. Dark and Stormy
One of the oldest cocktails on this list is the Dark and Stormy, a simple yet classy mixture of rum and ginger beer that was invented in the 1860s on the Islands of Bermuda. This cocktail is similar to the Moscow Mule, but instead of rum, the Moscow Mule uses vodka. A splash of lime juice, a slice of lime, or some sugar syrup is also frequently added to both of these traditional cocktails.
6. Mojito
Apart from being Ernest Hemingway’s favorite alcoholic beverage, the mojito is also one of the most widely-known and most refreshing cocktails in the world, capable of cooling you down even in the most unbearable summer heat. The cocktail is made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint, and it was famously invented in Havana, Cuba.
7. Rum Punch
Hailing from Jamaica, but often enjoyed all across the Caribbean, especially during Christmas time, the Rum Punch is a fruity and colorful cocktail that often features fruit, such as strawberries or lime, as well as sugar, rum, water, and ice. When preparing the cocktail, people are guided by the rhyme-recipe that goes like this, "one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak."
8. Singapore Sling
Another light and fruity cocktail is the Singapore Sling, which actually did originate at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 1915. Ngiam Tong Boon is the author of the cocktail, and he created it specifically for women, who were socially discouraged to drink alcohol back in the day. The cocktail is based on gin and cherry brandy, and fruit juices, such as pineapple juice, grenadine syrup, and lime juice.
9. Paloma
Though many people associate Mexico with margaritas, another popular cocktail, favored by the locals and visitors alike is the Paloma. Don Javier Delgado Corona, the owner of La Capilla bar in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, is credited for the invention of the cocktail according to the most popular origins story of the Paloma, but no one knows for sure who made the first Paloma in the world. The cocktail is based on tequila, with lime juice and any grapefruit-flavored soda added as well.
10. Pina Colada
A Pina Colada is essentially synonymous with an exotic vacation today, but we have the Puerto Rican bartender Ramon "Monchito" Marrero to thank for this ultimate beach companion. Marrero served the first-ever Pina Colada, a heavenly mix of rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice at The Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on August 15, 1954. Since the late 1970s, the Pina Colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico.
11. Pimm's Cup
A summer vacation in London would be hardly complete without a glass or two of Pimm's Cup, a cocktail made with Pimm's gin-based liquor, fruit, mint, and lemonade. The cocktail was invented sometime between 1823 and 1840 at Pimm's oyster bar by the owner, James Pimm. Pimm's liqueur is sold to this day, and it was first offered to customers of the bar as a 'tonic' to aid digestion.
12. French 75
The French 75 is actually French. Well, it's Parisian, to be more precise. The cocktail is made with gin or brandy, champagne, sugar, and lemon juice. The original recipe of the drink was created by Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s. Though the original recipe used absinthe, gin, and calvados (apple or pear brandy), it doesn't contain absinthe today ever since it was banned across Europe.
13. Caipirinha
Get a taste of Brazil with the Caipirinha, Brazil's national cocktail. The main ingredient in this drink is cachaça, a sugarcane-based spirit similar to rum, but somewhat different as sugarcane is fermented naturally when making cachaça, unlike rum that's made with refined sugar. To make the cocktail, mash up a few limes with some sugar, add in the cachaça, shake, and the cocktail is ready.
14. Screwdriver
Like the Mojito or the Pina Colada, the Screwdriver is another summer vacation staple, but unlike the other two, it's a very simple drink featuring just two ingredients - vodka and orange juice. Though the specific inventor isn't known, the cocktail is said to have been invented by American oil workers in the Persian Gulf, who liked to sneak in some vodka in their morning orange juice.
15. Aperol Spritz
This vibrant orange cocktail is undoubtedly associated with a summer vacation in Italy by many. The basis of Aperol Spritz is Aperol, a traditional Italian bitter apéritif made of rhubarb, gentian, cinchona, as well as other ingredients. Aperol is an ancient drink, but the cocktail itself is believed to date back to the 1800s. To make an Aperol Spritz, combine Aperol, prosecco, and club soda, and you're done.
16. Bloody Mary
Although the certain origins of the Bloody Mary remain a subject of debate, this unique cocktail is believed by many to have started at the King Cole Room in New York's St. Regis Hotel by the bartender Fernand Petiot in 1934. A Bloody Mary has quite a lot of variants, but the main ingredients - vodka and tomato juice - remain unchanged. Other spices and flavorings, such as Worcestershire sauce, garlic, hot sauces, horseradish, celery, olives, salt, lemon, and black pepper are also commonly used in various recipes.
